1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a video signal and, more particularly, to a transmission system for an aspect-area ratio ID (identifying) signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A picture displayed on the basis of standard video signals such as the NTSC video signal or the like has an aspect ratio (width-to-height) ratio of 4:3 as shown in FIG. 1A according to the prior art. Recently, a video tape recorder (VTR) has been proposed to record a picture having an aspect ratio of 16:9 as shown in FIG. 1B, for example. In this case, if the number of horizontal lines per field is the same as that of the prior art and the signal format of a synchronizing (sync.) signal or the like is also the same as that of the prior art, then a video signal having an aspect ratio of 16:9 can be recorded with ease by a video tape recorder which can record a video signal having an aspect ratio of 4:3.
That is, while a video signal of one horizontal line at substantially the center (the scanning position shown by a broken line) of the picture having an aspect ratio of 4:3 as shown in FIG. 1A is represented as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, a video signal of one horizontal line at substantially the center (the scanning position shown by a broken line) of the picture having an aspect ratio of 16:9 as shown in FIG. 1B is represented as shown in FIG. 2B, for example. Accordingly, if the aspect ratio is large, then image information of each horizontal line is compressed and then recorded, which is presented as only the change.
If upon playback the video signal having the aspect ratio of 16:9 is displayed on a standard monitor receiver which receives and reproduces a video signal having an aspect ratio of 4:3, when a portion of the picture in the longitudinal direction is displayed fully, then the left and right end portions of the picture having an aspect ratio of 16:9 are laid out of the picture screen of the monitor receiver (when the left and right ends are cut equally) and thus are omitted from the display, as FIG. 3 illustrates. In this case, if there is some important image information such as when persons are standing at left and right end portions of the picture as shown in FIG. 3, for example, such important image is not displayed. There is then the risk that the viewer cannot correctly understand the contents of this video program.